Banoffee Cake (easy recipe)

Simple flavors that will surprise you at first bite! A layer of moist and super easy-to-make banana muffin cake is topped with luscious dulce de leche and whipped cream. I love anything banoffee and this cake will make your taste buds dance. Trust me, if you never tried this combination you're in for a ride. 

Originally posted in August 2017, this post has been updated with text and images to serve you better. The recipe remains the same with better instructions and variations. 

Banana muffin cake with dulce de leche and whipped cream was the original title of this cake before I realized it was like a banoffee pie in the form of a cake. All the right flavors together to create something amazing. Just in case you think you're in for an average banana cream tart.

Each layer in this dessert is a vital part. They create a synergy that is hard to say no to. It started with the well-known banana bunch turning black and me searching for a recipe to use them. I made my favorite banana muffin recipe (omitting the nuts) and dumped half the batter onto a cake pan. 

And this banoffee cake was born. Adding a layer of dulce de leche layer and whipped cream is something quite common in this house. Usually, it's the fudgy brownie recipe that gets this special treatment. But here we mix banana with dulce de leche all the time, so it was only natural that I would add it to this banana muffin cake. 

Ingredients

This recipe is my favorite banana muffin turned sheet cake. Sort of. It's very easy to make because it has oil so there's no need to soften butter and beat until creamy. 

For the cake

• Bananas: make sure they are soft and with brown spots. This will ensure the best possible flavor. I like to mash them with some larger pieces in it to give the cake more texture. 
• Oil: a neutral type of oil such as sunflower lets the banana flavor shine. But you can use any oil such as coconut or olive oil. 
• Flavorings: vanilla and cinnamon work well here. But you can use only vanilla or add another ground spice that you like with bananas. 
• Sugar: I use white granulated sugar, but feel free to use brown sugar. It will give an amazing caramel flavor that combines well with the dulce de leche.

Types of dulce de leche

The second layer is this milk jam that I personally love and is the easy answer to the caramel layer found in the original banoffee pie.

There are two types, regular and pastry dulce de leche. The difference is the consistency. And it's a BIG deal.

• Pastry dulce de leche: it's thicker and holds well in fillings and it's the one we use for this banoffee cake and the Alfajores recipe.
  Layer: you need to use what we call pastry dulce de leche, which is much thicker than regular. Otherwise, it won't hold and will run down the sides like a glaze. But I found that one of the most popular brand here in Argentina can be found on amazon - Vacalin dulce de leche Repostero (thicker confiture) and Veronica Dulce de Leche Repostero (thick milk jam).
• Regular dulce de leche: is more runny and is great to top buttermilk pancakes or use to make dulce de leche brownies. 
  Sauce: you can also make this cake with only the layer of whipped cream and serve it with regular dulce de leche drizzled on top. I suggest this when the dulce de leche is too runny because it will eventually start to drip down the sides. To buy it online my favorites are Dulce de Leche Argentina DDL&CO Premium, Dulce de Leche Cachafaz gluten free, Los Nietitos Dulce de Leche (Caramel spread), and Chimbote gluten-free Milk Jam
• Thickening it at home: the most common one is the regular type so I give you a way of thickening it in the recipe card so it will be good for this cake. And also, you can buy it online which is the easiest way. I leave the links in the Notes, at the end of the recipe card also. 
• Homemade: if you're interested in making your own dulce de leche from now on, there's a post with the recipe and video. And the best tips you'll ever find, because my family has been making it for generations. 

Whipped cream

I have to confess that I'm not a super fan of whipped cream per se. But, as it happens with many other ingredients, when you mix it with the right flavors it creates a synergy. And we always want that when it comes to desserts, don't we?

• Choose a whipping or double cream (sometimes called heavy I believe, depending on the country) that is fresh and good for whipping. I know that sounds obvious, but dairy products vary in the percentage of water content among other things. The more water the less they hold and the easier they curdle in my experience.
• I never use light creams for this type of recipe because for me they don't have the right consistency or flavor.

Sour cream or cream cheese: I always add a few tablespoons to the cream before whipping. They give it more structure and it holds better after whipped for a couple of days. But you can omit it.

Vintage Kitchen Tip

Top tips

• Bananas: use very ripe, brown spotted ones. They are the ones that pack the flavor you want your banana cake to have. 
• Dulce de leche: this is the easy answer to caramel found in the original pie. You can add a layer before the cream as I did, or you can use it to serve the cake as a sauce if it's too runny. 
• Cream: it's a necessary ingredient and you can make it from scratch or you can buy those cans with similar stuff. Whatever you like works.
• Storing: it needs refrigeration if there are leftovers because of the whipped cream. Make sure you cover it to prevent the cake from drying out. You can freeze the cake layer and make the whipped cream a few days before you serve it. But this cake does not freeze well once it's assembled. 
• Serving: this cake is best served barely cold for the flavors to come through. Keep in mind that the cream must be cold to hold its shape so don't let it sit at room temperature for too long. And also, I recommend you not serve it straight from the fridge as the flavors won't shine. 

The fact that the base is a muffin makes a big difference. The texture is soft but moist yet firmer than that of a regular cake.

Then the piling of a layer of good dulce de leche, whipped cream, fresh bananas (if you want), and a sprinkle of chopped bittersweet chocolate it takes you wherever you want to go. Really.

For me is the adult version of my childhood treat but for many, it will be a discovery from which there is no turning back. 

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